Ohio Concealed Handgun License Approved as Background Check

Ohio Concealed Handgun License
Ohio Concealed Handgun License
Buckeye Firearms Association logo
Buckeye Firearms Association

Columbus, OH -(AmmoLand.com)- Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) is pleased to announced that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has certified the Ohio Concealed Handgun License (CHL) as a valid NICS-compliant background check for firearm purchases.

Embedded Below or Click HERE to see the letter from the BATFE.

This is the result of more than six years of work by BFA to improve and simplify background checks for Ohio gun owners. Thanks also goes to Attorney General Mike DeWine, who worked with the BATFE to help win this approval.

And it’s great news for Ohio CHL holders and law-abiding citizens who frequently get a “hold” when trying to buy a firearm.

When someone wants to buy a firearm from a dealer with a Federal Firearms License, the dealer must first make sure the buyer is legally approved to make the purchase. After the buyer fills out Federal Form 4473, the dealer either calls in the information or submits it online so the BATFE can perform the required background check and issue the approval.

While this is typically called an “instant background check,” for many people it is anything but instant.

“Sometimes the system is down,” says Jim Irvine, Board President of BFA. “Or high demand overwhelms the system. Or maybe bad weather prevents government employees from showing up for work. For some unlucky people, they share a name with someone else who is not permitted to purchase firearms or errors in the database cause delays. Historically, this has not always been a user-friendly system. Now, Ohio gun owners finally have a solution.”

House Bill 234 passed in December of 2014 and became law in March of 2015. That bill improved the background check and added disqualifications so that people who are not permitted to buy or possess firearms do not qualify for a CHL.

By aligning the rules governing the Ohio CHL with federal law, and by checking CHL applications against the same databases the NICS system uses to ensure that everyone issued an Ohio CHL is qualified to buy a gun, the Ohio CHL has been approved as a valid NICS check.

“This is a big improvement,” continued Irvine. “It’s good for everyone. Legal gun buyers will benefit because they can just show their license when making a firearm purchase. And even those who favor stricter gun regulation will like it because it will help the system do what it’s supposed to do, which is help cut down on illegal purchases.”

The NICS check is valid for five years, the same as the CHL. If a CHL holder commits a disqualifying offense, sheriffs are notified and can revoke the license and, therefore, revoke the ability of the CHL holder to use the license to purchase a firearm.

“Several other states have been doing this for years and it works well for BATFE, gun dealers, and individuals. It is a proven system in which Ohio is now participating for the benefit of everyone.”

NOTE: Only Concealed Handgun Licenses issued on or after March 23, 2015 are NICS-compliant. For those issued before that date, license holders must wait until they renew their CHL for their license to be recognized as NICS-compliant.

In addition, it may take time for dealers with a Federal Firearms License to learn about this new process. Please be patient during this transition period.

Open Letter To All Ohio Federal Firearms Licensees

About Buckeye Firearms Association:

Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities.

For more information, visit: www.BuckeyeFirearms.org.

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John

If the ATF and FBI are federal, why is this only valid in certain states?

“The NICS check is valid for five years, the same as the CHL.” What does this mean? Are they saying that once you go through the NICS check you don’t have to do another one for 5 years?

hijinx60

North Carolina has had this for years, and it is really helpful. If you find something that you like, you don’t have to wonder if it will be sold before your paperwork is finished.

Kevin

Agreed! I also live in NC and just purchased my first pistol since receiving my NC CCH Permit. It sure was nice just flipping out my permit, checking off the appropriate boxes on the transfer paperwork, paying and walking out of the store with my new firearm. Total transaction time….about 15 minutes.

David

It would be nice in CA. NEVER going to happen. DROS fee, 10 day wait, etc.. The senate just ran through 11 anti gun bills and then the assy today is going to pass 5 more bills for the Gov signature. That would make AR’s, M-1, Mini 14 all illegal. Bullet button ban, ammo registration cards. etc.. We do not have a constitution in CA…

Glennon

Is there a list of States that allow this instead of having to fill out all the paperwork anytime I purchase a gun? Thanks for the info!

Joe

I believe Alabama recently started something similar.

5WarVeteran

Wow “common sense” in Ohio? Go figure!

durabo

It must be an accident. After all, they keep reelecting RINO orange-tinged John Boehner.

TEX

Texas has had that since ’95 and it’s awesome !

durabo

Arizona too has been an enlightened state for years. Colorado is a pain in the arse, where even a CCW permit holdeer has to hang around the store for 2+ hours to pick up his gun.